The Burma Rivers Network (BRN) warmly welcomes the Indian
government’s recent cancellation of the controversial Tamanthi
hydropower dam on the Chindwin River, which was planned for export of
electricity to India. BRN urges China and Thailand to take similar
responsibility for our shared environment and halt their accelerated
plans to dam Burma’s major rivers to fulfill their domestic power needs.

India signed an agreement with Burma’s military regime in 2004 to
develop the Tamanthi dam. In 2007 over 2,400 people were forcibly
relocated from the dam site, and surveying continued until 2011.
However, there has been strong local resistance to the 1,200 MW dam,
which would have flooded an area the size of Delhi, displacing over
45,000 people, irreversibly impacting an area of rich biodiversity, and
affecting livelihoods of millions relying on fisheries and riverside
agriculture downstream. “Opposition from local groups over its
environmental impact” was mentioned as a key factor in the Indian
government’s decision to cancel the Tamanthi dam in June 2013.

Regrettably, this responsible lead taken by India is not being
followed by other neighbouring countries carrying out cross-border
hydropower development in Burma. In March of this year, Burma’s Deputy
Minister of Electrical Power announced that six dams on the Salween were
proceeding, despite ongoing conflict along the river, and complete lack
of transparency around the dam plans. Most of the power from these
dams, which will produce over 15,000 MW, will be exported to China and
Thailand, while the millions living along the length of the river in
Burma will bear the environmental and social costs.

At the same time, Chinese authorities and investors are pressing to
restart the Myitsone dam, suspended since September 2011. This is in
spite of huge popular opposition to the giant 6,000 MW dam, which will
block off the Irrawaddy at its source, and place the flow of Burma’s
main artery in the hands of Chinese engineers.

China and Thailand are adhering neither to international standards
nor their own domestic regulations when building dams in Burma. They are
taking advantage of Burma’s lack of safeguards protecting the
environment and local livelihoods in order to access “cheap” power for
their own domestic use.

BRN therefore urges China and Thailand to take India’s example in
heeding the concerns of impacted communities. They should immediately
cancel their untransparent and damaging dam projects on Burma’s major
rivers, and develop more regionally responsible and sustainable plans to
fulfil their domestic energy needs.